NEW DELHI: Matt Renshaw played with bat and ball as Australia defeated Bangladesh by seven runs in the second T20I on Friday to seal the three-match series with an unassailable 2-0 lead.Renshaw smashed an unbeaten 89 to take Australia to 196/5, their highest T20I total against Bangladesh, before coming in with the ball to restrict the hosts to 189/6 in a thrilling contest.Bangladesh, who lost the opener by four wickets, came close with a chase but fell short despite a strong start. Aaron Hardie was Australia’s most successful bowler with figures of 2/40.After electing to bat, Australia got off to a slow start through captain Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis. However, Bangladesh bounced back early as left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed trapped Inglis lbw for 11 before pacer Nahid Rana removed Marsh for 20, leaving the visitors in trouble.Australia’s innings was revived by a match-defining partnership of 97 off just 50 balls between Renshaw and Tim David for the fourth wicket. David blasted 45 in 26 games, hitting two fours and a six before falling to the slow ball of Abdul Gaffar.Renshaw continued to dominate, hitting four fours and five sixes in his 52-ball unbeaten 89.Bangladesh began to respond strongly, racing to 72/1 in the powerplay – their highest total of six overs against Australia in T20Is. Tanzid Hasan led the way with a quickfire 30 off 15 balls.Australia got the breakthrough when Renshaw worked a comeback to remove Tanzid. Saif Hassan then kept Bangladesh in the hunt with 42 off 33, but the Australian spinners tightened the tie in the middle.Despite a late push from the bottom, Bangladesh could not find enough margin in the final overs to finish on 189/6, seven runs short.The third and final T20I will be played in Chattogram on Sunday.
